I have recently graduated from University and am in a very weird transitional period between my glorious student days and real life. And I haven’t been doing this season very well at all. Everything about it has been making me a miserable, negative person: getting rejected from job after job, living back with my (wonderful) parents in my childhood home, having few friends here, my hard fought acne-free skin turning back into pepperoni pizza mode, and searching for a new church community. I have cried many times, longing for my friends, self-esteem, church and University life. Perhaps this sounds a bit dramatic but to me, it feels like the end of the world.
But, recently, God has been teaching me alot.
It was funny that right at the beginning of the summer, when I went to the first church on my hit list, one lady said, just in general conversation, ‘don’t miss what God is doing in this period.’ I didn’t really take this to heart back then but it has become a bit of a check when I’ve been feeling low. Whilst I can’t see at the moment what on earth God is doing, my life is not on hold ready to begin again when I move out and get my dream job. No, Jesus came to give life in all its fullness (John 10v10). Indeed, a really helpful verse for me has been 1 Corinthians 7v17: ‘And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.’ There is a purpose to where I am and the potential to find God.
I keep reading Jesus’ prayer for his disciples (firstly, I love that he prays for them!) in John 17 where He prays:, ‘Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am.’ Wow. Yes! I want to be where Jesus is. The question is: if I am to believe right here, where are you God? Isn’t this part of the pursing Jesus that I so craved at Momentum? I have definitely been slacking off in that department as I’ve allowed my situation to define me.
I have been reminded of the story of Paul and Silas in jail and how despite their imprisonment, they loudly praised God so the rest of the prisoners could hear. I feel that, whilst I’m not in jail (!), I am in a position I would rather not be in and, like Paul and Silas, my one response should be to thank God for His goodness and guidance thus far in my life and rest in the knowledge that He will continue to lead me. And, how exciting would it be if people saw my joy and peace and that caused them to look to God as it happened to Paul and Silas?
Until next time
Thoughts... 